The choice of wood is
also quite different: limed teak. It's at once an understated yet
sophisticated look--understated because the wood is not covered in
coat after coat of glossy lacquer, and sophisticated because the block
pattern and the prominent grains combine for an artistic effect.

Since this same look
flows throughout Element, it was important to ensure that the furnishings
and accessories didn't detract from it. Whether you look around
the combination saloon-dining area, walk forward into the master suite,
go down the stairs to the five guest staterooms, or walk up to the panoramic
sky lounge, you'll notice that settees and chairs are covered in
unembellished white fabric and that desks and end tables are architecturally
simple pieces as well, stained black. Blinds in the saloon and sky lounge
are thin and bamboo-like, not the customary wood slats or shades. In addition,
you won't find traditional knobs and related hardware for doors
and closets; instead, they're replaced by old-fashioned keys, which
remain in place.

Even with all of this
emphasis on simplicity, the design and construction teams did grace Element
with a few imaginative touches. In the full-beam VIP stateroom below decks,
for example, what appears to be just a solid bulkhead to starboard actually
conceals an entertainment center. By pressing a portion of the limed teak
at eye-level, the guest can unveil a flat-screen TV, which pivots out
for optimal viewing from either the king-size bed in front of it or the
seating area on the other side of the room. Because this room is so well-arranged,
it feels as if it's larger than the main-deck master--although
the master certainly doesn't feel cramped, particularly because
it has an amazing ten feet of headroom (headroom is about seven feet everywhere
else).

Another clever touch
lies outside the sky lounge--or, to be more accurate, between the
sky lounge and the sundeck. It's essentially a half-deck level,
outfitted with a small seating area. The location makes it an ideal spot
for enjoying breakfast or just private time. Element's transom
is fitted with a large door for the tender garage; once opened, the door
becomes a large bathing platform and is reachable from the main deck by
either internal or external teak stairs. And despite what is traditionally
found on many European-built and European-owned yachts, the crew's
quarters--four cabins, a large dinette furnished with cooking appliances,
and a separate laundry--are on par with what an American yard and
American owner would want.

Another welcome feature:
the size of Element's engine room. It's generous, particularly
given the size of those on some Italian-built yachts. While there isn't
walk-around access to the twin 3,700-hp MTUs, there is a separate, full-beam
workroom just aft, something that's becoming more common on yachts
in this size range. According to Cantieri di Pisa's sea trials last
summer, Element achieves a maximum speed of 28 knots and a cruising
range of about 2,000 miles on about 9,000 gallons of fuel.

While Jean-Michel Frank
probably never imagined his style would be so admired decades after his
passing, he probably also never imagined it would gain admiration beyond
his country's borders. Similarly, the founding fathers of Cantieri
di Pisa could never have imagined their small wooden boatbuilding operation
would one day become an international player in the custom-yacht arena.
Element shows how the unexpected can sometimes result in something
everyone can appreciate: simple pleasures.